


The memory of all that

by pickyourselfupfred



Series: Fred and Ginger forever [39]
Category: Astaire/Rogers RPF. Astaire/Rogers movies
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-11-04 08:45:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17895275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickyourselfupfred/pseuds/pickyourselfupfred
Summary: Coming towards the end of shooting on Barclays. A time for memories.





	The memory of all that

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Samantha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samantha/gifts), [Love_by_dancing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Love_by_dancing/gifts), [StillAintNoGood](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StillAintNoGood/gifts).



It was all working out as they had hoped and prayed it would. They’d continued to have a ball making this movie and today had been no exception. Along with Oscar Levant they had filmed the greater part of a routine called ‘ A Weekend in the Country’. Shooting on MGM’s backlot had got them out of the coal mine of a sound stage and they’d had fun. With all three of them wisecracking and playing silly gags the whole day had seemed a breeze. Admittedly Charles Walters was forced to use some very ungentlemanly language to bring them all into line but even he was forced to acknowledge that the day had been very enjoyable.

Now they were back at Ginger’s place, snuggling up on the couch and chewing over the day’s work.  
“Hey kid did I tell you already that it’s great to be back together?”  
“Well maybe two or three thousand times but I guess I can put up with that”.  
“I don’t think I’ve been this happy since those heady days in New York.”  
“That’s a heck of a long time ago Fred, surely you’ve been happy since.”  
“Yes, of course, but somehow this is different. Working on this movie, being back with you, aw just everything.”  
And perhaps the truth was, though neither of them said it, that as his wife and kids were off at the ranch, Fred had been able to spend almost every night at hers and they were now living in a kind of domestic bliss that fate had made them miss out on.  
“Everything seems so comfortable and easy with you, I don’t seem to get half the worries I do with anyone else. I guess it’s because”, he paused for thought, “I guess it’s because it’s like an old pair of shoes or sneakers. You know the comfy, worn in shoes that fit you like a glove”.  
She laughed, “Or those warm, woolly old socks on a cold winter’s night. You slip them on and you know they’ll be perfect. Hey what a perfect couple we make, battered old sneakers and worn out socks. Oh Fred we must try to keep doing movies together, we could find a script or story”.  
“I agree baby and if this one goes down well at the box office maybe MGM will look for something as a follow up. Doesn’t even have to be all singing and dancing…. I’d like to try my hand at light comedy or something more serious. I’m sure something will come up”.  
She chuckled, “I know something that will always come up.”  
She was tickled for that comment.  
“I mean,” he said, “that argument scene we shot recently showed we could hack it in the drama stakes.”  
“The squabble over breakfast? Walters loved that. Remember what he said.”  
“Sure, ‘You two were so much in each other’s face doing that that if I hadn’t known you were acting I’d have thought you’d been married for years.’  
“And you whispered , ‘We very nearly have.’  
“In our hearts if not on paper.”  
Ginger sought to change the subject. The thought of what they’d lost hurt too much.  
“Well as for acting what about you topping that awful Scottish accent with the French one you did the other day.”  
After huge laugh from Fred he continued, “Wanna make more movies with you even if we're both using walking sticks and glasses.”  
“Yes Fred, we may yet go down that route I’m sure. Let’s agree to look for material”.  
“You have my word on it baby but surely it’s bedtime now”.

However many hours they spent together in the day bed was always their haven for the night. It was a place, not just for loving, though that was wonderful, but a time for putting the world to rights, memories and hopes, but most of all the comfort and peace that only an enduring friendship and love can give.

Tonight as they lay in each other’s arms one more memory surfaced. They were now approaching the end of shooting on the movie and, at Fred’s request, Charles Walters had allowed them to leave one final number as the last dance sequence to be shot towards the end of filming. It was the song Ginger had suggested as a nod to the old days, ‘They can’t take that away from me’. They’d worked on a slow dance to this, nothing flashy with a few of the old steps but very tender and now they reminisced about the night the Gershwins gave them the song and how it had been written just for them and their memories.  
“Can’t believe it’s almost thirty years since we got together in New York and counted on the Gershwins as our true friends”, said Fred wistfully.  
“I’d agree to that”, she replied and they had laughed at the passing of time and fallen asleep to dream happy dreams.  
Perhaps the real truth was that they were both a little frightened, not of the song and dance to come but of the possibility it would be the last time they danced together on screen. However they were both optimistic and very much in love so let us leave them there until the shooting begins. 

All too soon came the day of shooting their song. Fred had left early for the studio citing a few minor issues with the routine that he wanted to rectify. Ginger had sighed knowingly – this was her perpetual worrier and she happily gave him her blessing.  
“See you later then buster and don’t get changing too much, it’s perfectly already.”  
He’d chuckled to himself after a farewell kiss. He wanted to get in early to arrange a couple of surprises for her as he knew today would bring all sorts of memories.

He bustled about in her dressing room which was adjacent to his own then, preparations complete, waited for her arrival in their rehearsal studio. She turned up soon after.  
“Oh Fred, what do I have to relearn?”  
“Well”, he replied, Actually when I started to work on it I realised it would be ok as it was so no changes.”  
“I could shake you sometimes”, she giggled. “Oh well best get along to the dressing room before wardrobe and make up descend.”  
“I’ll tag along if I may.”  
He held back as she entered the room and was gratified to hear her shrieks of delight.  
She appeared at the doorway. “Come here you sneaky piece.”  
She seized his hand and led him inside. He had organised vases of gardenias all over the room. They were her favorite flower and he had always given them to her on their dates in New York.  
“You remembered the flowers.”  
“How could I forget?”  
“And when we shot ‘Shall We Dance’ you had some for me on the ferry set.  
“Same song, same flowers I thought.”  
He got a crushing hug, then, over his shoulder, she spotted a small box with the distinctive Tiffany blue color on her dresser.  
“Oh Fred you shouldn’t, you’re always giving me things.”  
“This is just for today baby. Open it.”  
She happily complied and found a gold charm for her bracelet that was cast in the shape of the Statue of Liberty.  
“Just thought it might bring back a few happy moments.”  
“Happy Fred, no, just some of the best moments of my life.”  
“We had a great day visiting Liberty didn’t we?”  
“Where you told me you had promised yourself that you wouldn’t visit unless it was with the girl you loved. That touched me more than you’ll ever know.”  
“Yes Gin, and it was you. Remember the song today is all about those lovely memories of New York.”  
“Particularly kissing in the statue.”  
“That and the blissful week alone when we really and truly fell in love.”  
He grabbed her for a kiss.  
She wriggled from his grasp and searching in her bag found a small packet which she presented to Fred.  
“Nothing special but I thought I’d mark this day somehow. For the best dressed man in town.”  
He smiled with genuine pleasure when he opened the package. A hand dyed silk tie and gold tie clip. She knew him oh so well because he adored his collection of neckties and this one was gorgeous. Then, as he examined the tie clip, there, on the back, was the inscription, “The memory of all that.” A kiss was definitely on the cards.

A knock at the door interrupted them.  
“Miss Rogers in wardrobe please.” yelled a voice.  
“Oh Fred, duty calls, have to go, thanks so much.”  
“Remember everything when we dance.”

And she did. As the playback started for the song and Fred was at her side the lyrics she heard and knew so well brought back the glow of a first and only true love and the giddy excitement of being in the same place, at the same time with someone you really adore. Her eyes said it all and when Fred saw her he knew she felt as he felt. When, during the course of the dance, he cradled her and she clasped his hands, he blessed his God for giving her to him once more and chastised himself for ever letting her go. But here they were now, together, playing out their love on screen for the world to see and for now it was the best thing about being alive. Whatever the future held, he thought, ‘They can’t take that away from me.’

**Author's Note:**

> I told you I'd be back. Tough but the tough keep going!


End file.
